東歐亞圈域史序說

A Preliminary Study of the History of the East Eurasian Sphere

2022年，臺灣舉辦的國際研討會「內亞與海洋：明清中央檔案、地方文書及域外史料」提出了亞洲歷史的新視角，認為內陸亞洲（蒙古高原、東突厥斯坦、西藏高原、滿洲）與海域亞洲（西太平洋、中國海域、東印度洋）應作為整體探討。本文以「東歐亞圈域」為名，基於梅棹忠夫的生態史觀，分析其生態環境與歷史分期。東歐亞圈域自東北至西南為乾燥帶，東西地理特徵對稱，降水量影響草原生態，內陸森林及綠洲城市成為交易樞紐。十三世紀起，蒙古帝國統一內陸，促進東西交易，並通過征服雲南連接東亞與內陸，海陸交易繁榮。忽必烈建立元朝後，雲南成為南方重地，助推經濟與文化交流。本文通過分析生態環境與交易模式，提出「東歐亞圈域」的框架，重新審視內陸與海域的歷史關係，為未來研究提供新方向。

The 2022 international conference“Inner Asia and the Sea: The Ming-Qing Central Archives, Local Documents and Foreign Materials,”held in Taiwan, introduced new perspectives on Asian history, suggesting that Inland Asia (namely the Mongolian Plateau, East Turkestan, the Tibetan Plateau, and Manchuria) and Maritime Asia (namely the Western Pacific Ocean, the seas of China, and the Eastern Indian Ocean) should be studied as a unified field. The present article terms it the“East Eurasian sphere”and, drawing on Tadao Umesao’s ecological history model, examines its ecological, trade, and historical dimensions. The sphere can be divided into eastern and western ecological zones, featuring a diagonal dry belt and contrasting rainfall patterns. Abundant summer precipitation in the eastern zone supports rich grasslands, while lower precipitation in the west results in barren plains, which influenced nomadic lifestyles and the historical development of vast forests and oasis cities that served as east-west trade hubs; moreover, in East Asia, oceanic monsoons have shaped diverse ecological environments, enabling cultural and economic exchanges. Beginning in the mid-thirteenth century, the Mongol Empire unified Inland Asia, and in doing so, boosted trade and linked it to East Asia through Yunnan. The Empire’s expansion also connected East and Southeast Asian networks as well as introducing maritime trade. After Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty, Yunnan then became a vital southern hub, further enhancing trade. In summation, this article redefines the“East Eurasian sphere”and explores its integrated historical role while offering new frameworks for Asian history research.